Has any one had experience with Java chickens?

[Java_chicken_man]

Has any one had experience with Java chickens? I am planning on getting 6 adult Java hens, and one Adult Java Rooster. The breed is a good layer, and can be a nice meat bird. But has any one had any experience with the bird? Any info would be helpful

 

[MandyH]

I raise mottled javas and they were good layers but were jumpy as crap. I wouldn't have anymore.

 

[Java_chicken_man]

Where did you get them?

 

[MandyH]

I hatched them from eggs

 

[sadies chicks]

Quote:
cause of all the caffeine?

sorry, I am really bored at work

 

[columbiacritter]

Monte Bowen in Kansas is the Java King, Emperor and crusty old koot. There's an article on them in the latest Back Yard Chickens magazine. Monte can be ummm, intense, and sharp tongued, but he knows his birds and has some of the best, if not THE best Javas out there.

 

[Java_chicken_man]

Is 30 sq feet enough for 7 javas?

 

[Life is Good!]

Java's are considered a 'heavy or large' breed. They're big. They appreciate more room than not. 30sq feet meaning indoor coop or outdoor run? Indoor min. should be 4sq'/bird....but I've doubled that due to their large size! They just seem less cramped in their coop with more space. Outdoors should be minimum of 10sq'/bird - again, I added extra space - as some of the outdoor 'stuff' to play on takes up room too!

Search this site (above, to the right) for Java and you'll find a thread on the 'breed' pages in the forum. That will help answer some of your questions.

You don't mention where you are - to the best of my knowledge, there are Java's all over the U.S!

I like the breed - have been planning for over a year for them, received them this spring and am very glad to have started this adventure! We have kept 6 Black Java chicks (1 cockeral, 5 pullets) from Garfield Farm Museum in LaFox, IL. Mine are active, curious, interested in EVERYTHING, allow us to handle them as much as needed, follow our voices and accept treats from our hands. I don't find them flighty or jumpy.

Garfield Farm allows theirs to free-range (literally!) and the roosters do protect their hens. I liked that. The Black Javas are beautifully feathered with a purple and/or green sheen to their black feathers. The White Javas are also very beautifully shaped with quite large combs. I just saw Auburn Javas this May - they are incredibly beautiful birds - Lyle Behl has been working on developing this type of Java. I've not seen a mottled Java. No experience there.

Bewarned though, these little ones can EAT! We started with 11 chicks at 5wks old. They ate a 50# bag of feed in about 17 days. Yes, they had forage in the run (grasses and clovers) and bugs and treats and grit and and and.... When got to be 11wks old, they were going through a bag of feed in 9 days. I returned 5 roosters to Garfield Farm and now they're back down to using a bag of feed about every 2 weeks. As I've never kept other breeds, don't know if this is typical or not.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I have 2 mottled java pullets (got rid of the cockeral) and they are both on the more skittish side. They are supposed to be great layers, but mine are only 12 weeks old, so I can't comment on that yet.

 

[SuperChiks]

I'm glad I found this - I have been researching the heritage breeds and am focusing on the Java. I would like to start a small breeding project in the spring as this is my first year with Chickens but can't find anyone that will ship or has good stock.